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In this Update:
Free Assistance for Veterans on June 26 and 30To ensure Pennsylvania veterans get the benefits and services they earned, I will be hosting Veterans Resource Days, both from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in my offices. Veterans service officers will help with veterans benefits such as compensation, pension and general benefits counseling. The Lehigh County Veterans Resource Day will be held on Thursday, June 26, at 7535 Windsor Drive, Suite 200B, Allentown. Please register by visiting my website or calling 484-861-4964. The Bucks County Veteran Resource Day will be held on Monday, June 30, at 314 W. Broad St., Room 102, Quakertown. Please register in advance by visiting my website or by calling 267-551-3744. My Bill to Spur Innovation Passes Senate CommitteeThe Senate Intergovernmental Operations Committee, which I chair, passed three reform bills this week that now advance to the full Senate for consideration. Senate Bill 245, which I sponsored, would establish the Regulatory Sandbox Program within the Governor’s Office with an advisory committee of legislators and members of the business community. The program would allow entrepreneurs to request that certain laws or regulations be temporarily waived or suspended to develop and market new products or services. Regulatory sandboxes allow regulators to safely monitor and foster new ideas instead of simply shutting them down because regulations haven’t caught up with technology. While protecting public health and safety, regulatory sandboxes also aid in introducing new goods and services to benefit consumers. Senate Bill 333 would require General Assembly approval before a regulation with an impact exceeding $1 million could go into effect. Senate Bill 444 would require agencies to conduct a review of all new economically significant regulations after they have been in effect for three years. The review would evaluate the regulations’ effectiveness and efficiency, their actual fiscal impact, and whether they should be modified or repealed. Senate Votes to Preserve Prescription Assistance for Seniors
Legislation to protect thousands of Pennsylvania seniors from losing access to life-sustaining prescriptions passed the Senate unanimously. Senate Bill 731 would exclude Social Security cost-of-living adjustments from income eligibility calculations for the PACE and PACENET programs. The bill would extend the current exclusion from the end of this year to Dec. 31, 2027. Funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery, the PACE and PACENET programs have provided hundreds of thousands of adults 65 and older with low-cost prescriptions. It now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration. Bill to Strengthen Enforcement of PFA Orders Passes Senate
The Senate unanimously approved legislation to improve the enforcement of Protection from Abuse (PFA) petitions and orders and properly reimburse law enforcement agencies. A longstanding imbalance in the law directs a portion of PFA-related court fees to county sheriffs, even when local police departments or state troopers process the paperwork. Senate Bill 302 would require sheriffs to transfer the $25 service fee collected through the existing surcharge to the agency completing the service. The bill would also address a critical safety concern and reinforce professional enforcement standards by authorizing only sheriffs or trained law enforcement officers – not private individuals – to serve PFAs. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. Senate Approves Bill to Improve Access to Stroke Resources
The Senate unanimously passed legislation that would improve access to stroke resources. Senate Bill 411 would establish a statewide stroke registry administered and maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The registry would improve patient outcomes by giving emergency medical service providers, hospital stroke teams and other health care providers additional resources. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, strokes are the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States. Each year, more than 795,000 people experience a stroke. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. 23andMe Consumers Can Still Protect Their Information
While 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy, consumers should know they still have rights. Notably, if a consumer’s personal or genetic information was exposed in the 2023 data breach, they may file a claim electronically by July 14. People may also wish to delete their profiles and accounts to ensure their personal data is erased from the 23andMe system and not sold as part of the bankruptcy process. Attorney General Dave Sunday says consumers can learn how to delete their genetic data from 23andMe, destroy their 23andMe test sample and revoke permission for their genetic data to be used for research here. Remembering D-Day and Those Who Gave Everything
In one of the most important military actions in history, the Allies began the liberation of Western Europe on June 6, 1944. Each year, there are fewer surviving D-Day veterans, which makes it even more important that we preserve their legacy through education. We must never forget the more than 2,500 Americans who lost their lives turning the tide in World War II. The cost of freedom is high, and they gave everything to defend it for all of us.
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